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Allure Group Blog March 28, 2019

March Newsletter from The Allure Group

‘Something Extra’ for Bedford Center residents

Something Extra, Yale University’s premier all-female a capella group, performed for the residents of the Bedford Center on March 14, which may be viewed as a continuing commitment on the part of The Allure Group to do … something extra.

Music has long been found to be beneficial to seniors’ overall well-being, mood and memory. It is also viewed as a stress reducer. All of this means that it serves as just part of the holistic care Allure endeavors to provide.

Something Extra dates back to 1977, according to the group’s website, and since then has performed throughout North America, Europe and the Caribbean. The group’s appearance at the Bedford Center was part of a New York City Tour that also included a stop at Columbia University, among others.

Parkinson’s Unity Walk Slated for April 27

parkinsons walk

It’s that time of year again — time to lace up the walking shoes and head out to Central Park for the Parkinson’s Unity Walk. This year, we are teaming up with NewYork Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist’s APCA INR Center and we hope that you’ll join us!

The walk will be held April 27 (rain or shine) and feature a rolling start, between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. It follows a gentle 1.4-mile course and all donations will go toward Parkinson’s research as funded by four major U.S. Parkinson’s foundations.

There will also be informational booths, allowing participants and others to meet with representatives from sponsors and foundations. Click here to sign up and/or donate!

Avos U’banim at Bedford

The 12-week Motzeh Shabbas program culminated the first weekend of March, and saw thousands of boys treated to the finale of the Bedford Center’s Avos U’banim program.

The program, conducted in conjunction with the Keren Tosfos Yom Tov organization, educates adults and children alike about the importance of recognizing the kedusha of the Beis Medrash by remaining silent during davening. The children also learned about these Halachos and gained inspiration to promote kovod in a Beis Medrash.

Harav Pinchas Spitzer opened the program by emphasizing to the children the importance of being kind to one another. Harav Chaim Yehyda Aryeh Breuer, principal of Skver Cheder in Borough Park, followed by discussing the significance of Morah Mikdash and not talking during davening. The night was capped by a skit in which the performers amplified the latter lesson.

Hamilton Park Celebrates a 100th Birthday!

Happy 100th Birthday to Joseph Agoglia! Hamilton Park had a great time celebrating his birthday at a wonderful party that was held on March 25th. Thanks very much to everyone who came to celebrate and join in the fun!

King David Center Resident Celebrates 100th Birthday, Too!

Happy 100th to King David Center resident Lydia Gerinshteyn, too! Lydia, who was born in Ukraine and moved to Brooklyn in 1994, she told Brooklyn News 12 that the secret to a long life is this: “Don’t do anything bad to anybody. … Live with passion, and enjoy life.”

King David Center Employee of the Month

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Congrats to King David Center’s Employee of the Month, Brigitte Jean Phillip, CNA! Thank you so much for all that you do for The Allure Group!

Mardi Gras Celebration at Harlem Center

mardigras

Residents at the Harlem Center were treated to live jazz, as well as chicken and sausage gumbo, as part of their Mardi Gras celebration.

Mardi Gras, a tradition dating back to Ancient Roman celebrations of the arrival of spring, is observed throughout the world one day before the religious season of Lent begins. The festivities in New Orleans are particularly noteworthy, as are those in Brazil and Venice.

St. Patrick’s Day Horse Race at King David Center

The King David Center celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a horse race … of sorts.

St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, who was born in Britain (then under Roman control) late in the fourth century, then kidnapped and taken to Ireland at age 16. He escaped but later returned around 432, and helped convert the Irish to Christianity.

Melissa Powell Published On Digitalhealthage.com

A piece entitled “Healthcare Technology: Seven Trends that may Shape the Future,” by Allure COO Melissa Powell, appeared on the website “Digitalhealthage.com” on March 26.

In the piece Melissa discusses such things as Allure’s use of robotics and EarlySense, a contact-free remote patient-monitoring system, as well as the increasing popularity throughout the healthcare industry of companion robots and other cutting-edge devices.

New Blog Post: Keeping Tabs on Seniors

Healthcare professionals walk a fine line when monitoring residents in a skilled nursing facility like those in The Allure Group’s Brooklyn- and Manhattan-based network: The goal is always to provide the best possible care, while at the same time providing for a resident’s comfort and respecting his or her privacy.

Video surveillance only goes so far. Also of value are such contact-free patient-monitoring systems as EarlySense, which is widely used by The Allure Group, and wearables like watches, pendants and even inner soles. Click here to read the full post.

Allure Group Blog November 30, 2018

November Newsletter from The Allure Group

we hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving brought celebrations to The Allure Group’s facilities, as residents enjoyed food and family time.

Also, some fun facts to keep in mind about this distinctly American holiday:

The first Thanksgiving, celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians, featured not turkey but such foods as venison and duck. The feast also lasted three days.
Years later Ben Franklin wanted to make the turkey the national bird, not the bald eagle.
Americans eat 46 million turkeys each Thanksgiving. The average weight of each bird is 15 pounds.

DENTSERV’S SOCK DRIVE WITH THE ALLURE GROUP

Clean socks are the most-requested item at homeless shelters (above even food), and as a result often in short supply. DentServ Dental Service, P.C. — with an assist from The Allure Group — is aiming to do something about it.

DentServ, a provider of premier contractual dental services, began a sock drive for the homeless in mid-November, and it will run through the end of January. The Allure Group was one of the first companies to partner with DentServ in this worthy cause.

“As soon as I heard of this drive, I felt that it was such a wonderful way to give back,” Melissa Powell, Allure’s Chief Operations Officer, said in a news release. “I immediately reached out to DentServ’s COO, Isaac Newman, to offer our facilities as drop-off locations.”

New or still-packaged and unused socks can be dropped off at any of The Allure Group’s facilities, or shipped to DentServ’s headquarters in Pelham Manor, New York.

THE ALLURE GROUP CLUB PARTNERSHIPS

The pictures above show the first meetings of PS 197’s “Celebrating Dads” and “Hello Moms Club.” These are two initiatives The Allure Group’s Harlem Center has partnered with the school to create, giving fathers and mothers in the community a safe place to express their needs, experiences, concerns, and tribulations.

The goal is to assist each club by providing information about such topics as healthcare, life insurance, and career opportunities, but also to discuss relevant topics like domestic violence and law enforcement. In addition to helping to create and sustain these two clubs, we also sponsor the breakfast for the club meetings at the local school, where the children are called out of class to share breakfast with their parents.

The Winners from our Breast Cancer Awareness Raffles

king david center employee of the month

Congratulations to King David’s employee of the month is Natacha Jean-Baptiste from housekeeping! Thank you so much for all that you do for The Allure Group!

Empathy in Healthcare: Take a Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes (or a Ride in their Wheelchair)

How important is empathy in healthcare? Let us count the ways. It leads to better patient outcomes, and results in greater compliance and satisfaction on their part as well…. C lick here to read the full post.

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Allure Group Blog October 31, 2018

October Newsletter from The Allure Group

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is a great opportunity for some holiday-themed activities! Halloween activities can get the group together, encourage camaraderie, and give everyone a chance to enjoy some spooky fun. Residents at our King David Center had some festive fun this halloweekend with pumpkin painting! See some of the spooky creations that they made in the pictures below:

Breast Cancer Awareness Walk

Thanks to everyone who came to the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk! It was quite a chilly day and we can’t thank you enough for braving the cold and coming out to support the cause! Claudia, the Recreation Director at our Crown Heights Center, was handing out coffee and donuts to the crowd and we’d like to send a special shout out to her for keeping us all warm and fed! If you weren’t able to make the walk this year, we hope to see you next year!

Breast Cancer Raffle

Last chance, don’t forget to buy your raffle tickets! If you missed the walk but are still hoping to help support the cause, it’s not too late! You can support Breast Cancer Awareness by entering in our raffle at any one of our centers for a chance to win a 1 night hotel stay, dinner for 2, and tickets to a Broadway play! Winners will be announced October 31st.

The Allure Group Won A Silver McKnight’s Award!

The Allure Group was honored with a McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Skilled Care Silver Award in the Safety category for our use of the EarlySense system.

The Allure Group has installed the remote patient monitoring system — a system that tracks vital signs and movement courtesy of a sensor placed under the mattress — in 1,436 beds across our six facilities.

The Allure Group introduced EarlySense in July of 2017, becoming the first and only eldercare facility in Brooklyn, NY, to do so. The system had been found on a wider scale to result in a 45 percent reduction in patient falls, a 60 percent decline in bedsores and an 80 percent reduction in Code Blue events, and Allure saw similar results in case studies at the Bedford Center, where the technology was first introduced.

Several of those case studies revealed that alerts helped detect such illnesses as urinary-tract infections and aspiration pneumonia.

The award, presented by the national media brand McKnight’s Senior Living, goes to those facilities that harness technology to improve eldercare. Facilities are judged on such criteria as quality, innovation, simplicity and safety.

McKnight’s Senior Living describes itself as a media outlet geared toward “owners, operators and senior living professionals working in independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care retirement/life plan communities.”

Melissa Powell Presented at AHCA/NCAL 69th Annual Convention

The Allure Group COO Melissa Powell, working in concert with Marc Zimmet of Zimmet Healthcare Services Group, made a presentation entitled “The ISNP Equation” at the 69th annual AHCA/NCAL Convention Expo on Oct. 9 in San Diego.

ISNPs — i.e., Institutional Special Needs Plans — are optional managed Medicare programs available only to long-term care patients. Those patients must maintain Medicare Part A & B coverage (excluding those in Hospice care or those designated ESRD — i.e., end-stage renal disease), in addition to being residents in a skilled nursing facility.

The goal is to reduce costs, especially those incurred in hospitals, courtesy of upgraded clinical services that might include the work of nurse practitioners, the use of care-management technology or the offering of remote care via telecommunications tech (i.e., telehealth).

Among the questions Powell and Zimmet tackled where what entities were contracted, what the responsibilities of a SNF might be and how the enrollment process works.

At The Allure Group, Food Feeds More than Just the Body

When it comes to aging gracefully, diet is more powerful now than ever. Recent studies on aging show that a good diet brings both physical and mental health benefits… Click here to read the full blog post.

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Allure Group Blog September 25, 2018

September Newsletter from The Allure Group

Backpacks and School Supplies Giveaway!

Residents from our Crown Heights, Linden and Harlem Centers spent time this month giving back to the young people in their communities. Members from The Allure Group went to P.S. 289, P.S. 149 and P.S. 197 giving hundreds of backpacks and school supplies to elementary school students.

Many students at the school live in temporary housing and have been coming to school without the supplies they need. The Allure Group’s Chief Business Development Officer, Matthew Fenley, was quoted at the event saying “It’s a great opportunity for the senior community to interact with younger generations.”

The Allure Group looks forward to this event every year and is thrilled to be able to make a tradition out of it. Looking forward to doing it again next year!

The Allure Group Celebrates Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Many of the residents at the Allure Group’s six facilities observed the Jewish high holy days of Rosh Hashanah (i.e., Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (a Day of Atonement).

Rosh Hashanah began on Sept. 9 this year, and marked the start of the year 5779, according to the Hebrew calendar. Shanah tovah! As might be expected, it is always cause for joy and celebration.

By contrast Yom Kippur, which began at sundown on Sept. 18 and ran through sundown the following day, is considered a time for repentance and contemplation — hence the traditional 25-hour fast, during which observants not only forego food but also water!

We want to send a huge Thank You to Pinnacle Dietary for the beautiful spread that they put together on Rosh Hashanah for our residents at King David Center (pictured above). We enjoyed getting to celebrate with our residents and staff and we hope you enjoyed the holidays with your friends and family!

Walk with Us in Breast Cancer Walk Oct 21!

Join Team Allure as we take part in the Breast Cancer Walk, Oct. 21 beginning at the MCU Stadium on the Coney Island Boardwalk.

Those who sign up for the event, part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, will be given a free T-shirt.

According to cancer.net, breast cancer is the most common form of the disease for U.S. women. An estimated 266,120 will be afflicted this year with invasive breast cancer, and another 63,960 will be diagnosed with situ breast cancer.

In addition, some 2,550 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

It is further estimated that some 41,400 will die from breast cancer in 2018 — 40,920 women and 480 men.

Congrats to Winsome Mclean-davis, Harlem Center administrator, featured in Christian Times!

Harlem Center administrator Winsome McLean-Davis was featured in the Christian Times’ Harlem Week 2018 issue as one of 44 Women Transforming our World.

The Times noted that “her ability to lead and inspire has helped transform the nature of sub-acute care in the Harlem community.”

Winsome, a Howard University graduate, began her healthcare career as a social worker. She was honored in 2016 with the American College of Healthcare Administrators (ACHA) Award of Leadership Excellence.

HEALTHCARE CAREERS JOB FAIR AT THE HARLEM CENTER!

The Allure Group hosted a Healthcare Career Fair at the Harlem Center on Sept. 18, featuring on-site resume reviews, as well as applications and interviews for those seeking positions as RNs, LPNs and CNAs.

While the goal was to fill positions only at the Harlem Center, those in attendance were free to apply for prospective openings at any of the Allure Group’s facilities.

There’s Always Reason for Celebration at the Allure Group!

There were numerous celebrations at the Allure Group’s facilities in late August and early September, starting with a staff appreciation barbecue at the King David Center on Aug. 24, followed by a bingo/game night at that same facility on Sept. 5.

Also on Sept. 5, the Harlem Center hosted a cheese-tasting, featuring a performer and non-alcoholic wine. And on Sept. 9, there was a Grandparents Day Celebration at the Crown Heights Center.

Allure Group Blog August 15, 2018

August Newsletter from The Allure Group

The Allure Group Is Holding Its Second Annual Job Fair

The Allure Group is hiring!

We will stage our second annual job fair, on August 26 at 33 Bowery from 11am-4pm. We are, as always, looking to fill positions in all our departments, while accommodating the linguistic and clinical needs of our residents. America is aging, and Allure is, as always, looking to continue its top-notch service and give qualified candidates an opportunity to launch careers in the rewarding field of senior care.

Summer Events at The Allure Group

The Allure Group continues a summer of fun with special events: Hawaiian Day at the Crown Heights Center, a barbecue at the Hamilton Park Center with students from the Summer Youth Program, as well as a trip to the aquarium with our Bedford Center residents. A big thank you to the students who came to help with our BBQ, our residents really enjoyed having you there!

National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (#NIAM2018), which was created to underscore the need for immunizations.

Those reasons are many. According to calculations by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

The flu has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses, between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 56,000 deaths annually since 2010.
Some 900,000 people contract pneumococcal pneumonia every year, resulting in as many as 400,000 hospitalizations and 28,000 deaths.
About 10-13 percent of those who get shingles will experience a painful complication called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), the symptoms of which are severe pain in the areas where the shingles rash had appeared. This pain can last from weeks to years.
Between 850,000 and 2.2 million people suffer from chronic hepatitis B; one of the complications of this affliction is liver cancer.
In the United States, human papillomavirus (HPV) causes about 19,700 cases of cancer in women and some 12,800 cases of cancer in men each year. About 4,000 women die each year from cervical cancer.

Coupled with those sobering statistics are those from the CDC showing that in 2016 only 24 percent of adults ages 19-64 had received a pneumococcal vaccination, while 27 percent of those 19 or older had received the Tdap vaccination, which protects against three life-threatening diseases — tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).

Just 33 percent of adults 60 years or older had received shingles (herpes zoster) vaccination, while 43 percent of those 18 and older had received a flu vaccine during the 2016-17 flu season.

The bottom line: Vaccinations make a difference.

Coming Attraction: EarlySense Video

The Allure Group is in the process of finalizing a promo video that will showcase the benefits of EarlySense, the contact-free patient monitoring system.

The Allure Group became Brooklyn’s first network of skilled nursing facilities to make use EarlySense when it introduced the technology at the Bedford Center in July 2017, and it has achieved results similar to those seen in longer-established partnerships — a 45-percent reduction in patient falls, a 60-percent reduction in pressure ulcer development (bedsores) and an 80-percent reduction in code blue events.

Several of the case studies at the Bedford Center also revealed that alerts helped detect such illnesses as a urinary-tract infection and aspiration pneumonia, and that falls by high-risk patients were averted.

EarlySense, founded in 2004, was described by Forbes as a means to respond to the needs of non-critical (non-ICU) patients, while also preventing “alarm fatigue” — i.e., a tendency on the part of healthcare professionals to respond in something less than a timely fashion to the constant alerts sounded by conventional bedside equipment.

Under the EarlySense system, a sensing plate placed under a patient’s mattress detects his or her heart and respiration rates, as well as movements. That data, along with whatever trends that might have been seen over time, is then passed to a bedside monitor and a Central Display Station located at the nurses’ station, as well as medical professionals’ tablets and hand-held devices.

Such information also becomes part of the patient’s electronic medical records.

Employee of the Month

We want to give a huge shout out and big thanks to our Employee of the Month, Emilio, who works in maintenance, and was honored as the King David Center’s Employee of the Month for July. Thanks for all you do for us Emilio!

Emilio has been part of the Allure family for 18 years.

Our Chief Business Development Officer, Matthew Fenley, Participated On A Panel at the Long-Term Care and Senior Living CXO Summit

The Allure Group’s Chief Business Development Officer, Matthew Fenley, took part in a panel discussion at the Long-Term Care and Senior Living CXO Summit, July 17-18 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village, CA.

The Long-Term Care & Senior Living CXO Summit is an invitation-only, closed-door event featuring senior-level executives and solution providers. It is centered on discussions of key new drivers shaping the long-term care industry.

The topic of the panel discussion that Matthey Fenley participated in was “Revolutionizing Care Delivery through Technology.”

The Caring of the Green: How Horticultural Therapy Heals

It can be said without fear of contradiction that horticultural therapy has fully blossomed in recent years, that its many stalks and shoots go in more directions than the eye can see or the mind can imagine…

Click here to read the full post.

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Allure Group Blog July 13, 2018

July Newsletter from The Allure Group

JOEL LANDAU SURPRISES HARLEM CENTER STAFFERS WITH BONUSES

Allure chairman Joel Landau, accompanied by delegates from the 1199 Service Employees International Union, presented a bonus of $1,300 to each of the 250-plus employees at the Harlem Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation during an appearance at a previously scheduled employee-appreciation event on June 27.

“We wouldn’t be here if not for you all,” Landau told the group. “Thank you all for your hard work.”

Matthew Fenley, Allure’s Chief Business Development Officer, also addressed the assembled workforce.

“It’s not working for Mr. Landau; it’s working with Mr. Landau,” he said. “That same notion is what we feel and what I personally feel, every time I set foot inside Harlem Center.

“This is something a long time coming for you, (and is) obviously very well-deserved. Thank you to 1199 for your partnership here. We look forward to caring for our patients and community, each and every day.

COO MELISSA POWELL PRESENTS AT POST ACUTE 360 STRATEGY AND SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE

The Allure Group COO Melissa Powell recently presented “The Role of Social Media in Managing an Online Image” on June 26 at the Post Acute 360 Strategy and Solutions Conference at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md.

In it she emphasized the extent to which negative online media activity can affect a skilled nursing facility — how a single Glassdoor review, tweet or press mention can have dire consequences.

THE ALLURE GROUP CELEBRATES THE 4TH OF JULY

We had so much fun celebrating the 4th of July with residents across our centers. From fun and games to delicious treats, we hope everyone who came enjoyed the parties as much as we did!

A special shout out to Miss Sophia Smith, pictured below, who is 102 years old and we think deserves a best dressed award for the day!

PET THERAPY AT LINDEN CENTER

Pet therapy for the elderly has become a popular method of therapy for senior citizens. In fact, the documented benefits of interaction with pets are mental, emotional, and even physical.

Residents at our Linden Center enjoyed some pet therapy on Tuesday July 10th with an adorable poodle who came to visit.

SUMMER FUN AT THE ALLURE GROUP

Rabbi Stern kicked off the summer by inviting The Allure Group’s residents to his home for a barbecue that saw entertainment provided by two well-known American Hasidic Jewish singers, Yeedle Werdyger ad Levy Falkowitz.

Yeedle, who has released six solo albums and numerous collaborations, is known as a master of contemporary Hasidic music. Levy, the front man for the band Freilach and a performer in the Shira Choir, recently released his debut album, “Achke Loi,” after appearing on numerous albums.

Safe to say that a good time was had by all there, as was the case on Father’s Day, when our resident dads were honored at celebrations in all our centers. Nor did we forget about the fathers on our staff; they were accorded a salute that day, too.

Other June events included a spirited bingo tournament and a horticultural event that afforded residents the opportunity to learn about summer flowers — and take one with them.

NOBODY TRULY GOES IT ALONE

Joel Landau also wrote a piece for entrepreneur.com about the scourge of loneliness, which is fast approaching epidemic proportions in the U.S. Seniors are far from immune; 28 percent of those ages 65 and above live by themselves, and such isolation has been known to contribute to physical and mental decline.

Landau went on to note that one eldercare facility began a “togetherness initiative” that calls for employees to make weekly calls to residents who might be isolated, a program that has had a positive impact on both parties.

In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, a group of entrepreneurs is connecting with seniors through everything from sewing programs to virtual reality.

The Allure Group’s Harlem, Hamilton Park, Crown Heights Centers Honored with prestigious Eli Pick Award

The Allure Group’s Harlem, Hamilton Park and Crown Heights Centers were all honored as winners of 2018 Eli Pick Facility Leadership Awards, presented each year by the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) to the nation’s top-performing skilled nursing facilities. Click here for full blog post..

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Allure Group Blog June 18, 2018

June Newsletter from The Allure Group

Healthy Habits for Summer

As the school year wraps up and summer approaches, we know you will be spending more time outside enjoying the warm weather with your loved ones. Here are some tips for staying healthy and active to keep in mind with the summer upon us:

Stay hydrated: While there is some debate about how much water you should drink in the course of a day, there is no debate about doing so during the summer months, as it helps you avoid such potentially dangerous conditions as sunstroke.
Remember the sunscreen: Doing so reduces the chances of sunburn and skin cancer, and enhances the skin’s overall health.
Eat healthier: Summer offers the opportunity to enjoy such seasonal foods as corn, watermelon, cherries and blueberries. Bon Appetit!
Get some exercise: There is no better time of year to get out in the fresh air and enjoy a nice walk — or, for the more ambitious, an invigorating pool workout.
Dress for the weather: Wear moisture-wicking or loose-fitting clothing, as that will keep you cool.

The Allure Group Featured in Skilled Nursing News

Melissa Powell, our chief operating officer at The Allure Group, the challenges of turning around a distressed skilled nursing facility for a piece that appeared May 24 on the website skillednursingnews.com. The topic is one with which Powell has great familiarity; she saw Allure’s Harlem Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation go from 83-percent occupancy in 2013 to 97 percent four years later.

Powell talked in particular about the importance of keeping the lines of communication open with staff when undertaking a turnaround.

“I think when you’re going into a building to turn it around, you need to allow the staff to be open and honest and allow them to feel comfortable,” she said. “Tell them: The fact that you’re distressed is not your fault, per se … tell me what you’re doing well, be honest with what you aren’t doing well.”

Ice cream social at king david center

Just in time for summer, we had a great time cooling down at our recent ice cream social at King David Center on Wednesday June 13th. Thanks to all of our residents who came to enjoy these sweet treats with us!

Dr Bhandari Moderated A Panel At The UN

The Allure Group’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Rekha Bhandari, moderated a United Nations panel discussion on Jaipur Foot, on May 23.

Her appearance came shortly after the Jaipur Foot exhibition, which ran May 14-18 at the UN and was organized by the Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing artificial limbs to disabled people all over the world, free of charge.

The Jaipur Foot (or Jaipur Leg) is a prosthetic limb for those who have undergone lower-leg amputations. To date over 1.55 million people have been fitting with such devices, mostly in India but also in 26 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Our Rev Edward Lai Received A Stars Under 40 Award

The Allure Groups Corporate Director of Asian Initiatives, Edward Lai, was one of 45 individuals to receive a Stars Under 40 award from Schneps Communications at an awards and networking event at the Grand Prospect Hall on May 3.

The award-winners were recognized for achievements in business and public service before the age of 40.

Highlights From Nursing Home Week

We had a great time celebrating our incredible staff over Nursing Home Week which was held this year from May 13th – May 19th. We are thankful every day for all of our amazing team members, thank you so much for all that you do for The Allure Group!

Parkinson’s Raffle Winners

What’s Next: Robotics in Elder Care

As the number of elderly around the world climbs, the global rehab robots market is expected to grow, as well. Demand for robotic technologies will continue to rise as patients and families seek better care, and our society struggles to maintain the ratio of medical caregivers to elderly patients. In the US alone, the healthcare industry employs over 4.5 million nursing aides, orderlies, home health aides and personal care aides. And we still face a shortage of skilled labor. Robots can potentially bridge that divide. Click here to read more..

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Allure Group Blog May 8, 2018

May Newsletter from The Allure Group

The Future OF REHABILITATION

The use of robotics in eldercare has long been a hot topic, but The Allure Group is taking a cool, futuristic concept and making it a reality. We’re proud to announce that we’re launching the use of five new robotic technologies at our King David Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. This equipment, which will become a cornerstone of our rehabilitation services, addresses some of the most common challenges our patients face. By integrating movement therapies into our existing rehabilitation programs, patients can optimize their recovery potential by performing safer movements independently. From self-initiated machines to wearable medical devices, Allure is once again changing the playing field for elderly patients suffering from a range of conditions that compromise movement.

Our new robotic equipment includes:

LOKOMAT BY HOCOMA

The Lokomat strengthens and trains impaired muscle groups for patients with neurological disorders, facilitating the process of “relearning” how to walk. With the patient supported in a harness above a treadmill, a robotic exoskeleton moves the body in a natural walking pattern. Through repetition, the Lokomat stimulates the legs and neurological system to reorganize walking patterns.

Indications for use: stroke, paraplegia, TBI, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, degenerative joint disease, endoprosthesis, and amputees

Armeo Spring by HOCOMA

The Armeo Spring is for patients who are beginning to regain active movement of the arm and hand. The primary aim of rehabilitation for patients with partial arm paralysis is to maintain and restore their motor skills, which entails learning new movement processes and improving their coordination skills. Arm weight support enables patients to achieve a higher number of reach and grasp movements, safely achieving therapeutic goals in an independent setting.

Indications for use: stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders, neuropathies, upper limb ataxia, and recovery from neurosurgical interventions

Armeo Senso by HOCOMA

This sensor-based system capitalizes on progress made during the acute stage of rehabilitation and allows for continuation of high intensity, self-initiated upper extremity movements for patients with mild to moderate impairment.

Indications for use: impaired function of the upper extremity due to neurological disorders (e.g. stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, recovery from neurosurgical interventions, Parkinson’s diseases, Guillain Barré Syndrome, plexus paralysis); muscular disorders (e.g. muscular dystrophies) in patients who are able to self-initiate movement

L300 by Bioness

This wireless device promotes mobility improvements for patients with foot drop, lower extremity weakness and/or instability as a result of a neurological condition. The system delivers electrical stimulation to help patients establish a normalized gait pattern.

Indications for use: stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and incomplete spinal cord injury.

H200 by Bioness

This wireless hand rehabilitation system stimulates the nerves and muscles of the forearm and hand to help re-educate paralyzed or weak muscles. Electrical stimulation allows the finger and thumb to move efficiently during reaching, grasping and pinching.

Indications for use: stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, other disorders of the central nervous system resulting in functional deficits and impairments of the upper limb

Robotics Launch Event at King David Center

We want to thank everyone who came to our CEU and Robotics Launch event last week at our King David Center! We are so excited about what this new equipment means for the rehabilitation experience of our patients.

Parkinson’s Unity Walk

Team Allure had a great time walking in the 2018 Parkinson’s Unity Walk on Saturday April 28th in Central Park. Thank you so much to everyone who showed up to walk with #TeamAllure!

The 2018 Parkinson’s Unity Walk raises awareness not only for the disorder, but for the needs of patients across the United States. There are over one million people in the U.S. currently living with Parkinson’s, and 60,000 more are diagnosed each year. Parkinson’s is the second-most common neurological disorder, right behind Alzheimer’s.

The Allure Group imagines a future free of Parkinson’s disease, but currently treatment options are limited to helping to manage symptoms rather than cure them. Every person who walked or donated to the 2018 Parkinson’s Unity Walk supported the cause and cure for Parkinson’s, so a HUGE thanks to you!

Cherry Blossom Festival

We also had a fun time promoting our Longevity Garden program at the NYC Cherry Blossom Festival. Our Longevity Garden program, held at our Bedford and Hamilton Park Centers, services the local Asian community. Our program draws upon the many memories, activities, and sensory experiences familiar to patients of Asian descent.

EarlySense Implementation: A Breakthrough in Eldercare, A Boon to The Allure Group

Six months after becoming Brooklyn’s first network of skilled nursing facilities to introduce the contact-free patient-monitoring system EarlySense, The Allure Group announced that it is seeing exciting results, as has been the case when that technology has been implemented elsewhere.

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Allure Group Blog December 20, 2017

December Newsletter from The Allure Group

Happy Holidays from The Allure Group!

Wintertime is here, and with it all of the lights, snow flurries, and cheer a New Yorker could ask for. Hanukkah started on December 12th, Christmas is right around the corner, followed by Kwanzaa, and spirits are as bright as December 21’s solstice celebrations. With January, now a stone’s throw away, will come heartfelt goodbyes to 2017 and hopes and dreams for the year to come on New Year’s Eve and Day.

At The Allure Group, we have residents of all cultures and backgrounds celebrating winter holidays with their nearest and dearest. We’ve taken great care to honor the traditions of all festivities in each of our facilities. Nothing brings warmth to a home like tinsel, greenery, and shining Menorahs — not to mention the accompanying gifts and food.

From our family to yours, we wish you a happy and safe holiday together.

Quality Recognition at The Allure Group

A big congratulations to Harlem Center and Linden Center on being recognized by the AHCA/NCAL for outstanding quality of care! This is national recognition for achieving certain quality measures, a huge accomplishment and a testament to our great staff’s hard work implementing Allure’s processes.

The Quality Initiative, from AHCA/NCAL, builds upon the existing work of the long term and post-acute care profession by setting specific, measurable targets to further improve quality of care in America’s skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities.

The Quality Initiative Recognition Program honors AHCA/NCAL member skilled nursing care centers and assisted living communities that achieve a number of goals through the Quality Initiative. We’re excited and humbled by this honor!

Leadership at the Harlem Center and Linden Center will be formally recognized at their annual summit in front of hundreds of healthcare professionals in mid-March.

Lights Up Brooklyn Festival with the American Cancer Society

On December 8th, The Allure Group joined the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life in lighting Luminaria bags to pay a glowing tribute to those brave individuals who lost their battle to cancer as well as those who are currently battling it.

Relay For Life is a community based fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. The lanterns helped the fight against cancer in two ways — first, the proceeds for the bags went towards Relay For Life fundraising efforts. Second, they spread awareness around the borough about this important cause using the hashtag #LightUpBklyn.

EarlySense Comes to Bedford Center

EarlySense, a contact-free monitoring system, recently went live at the Bedford Center, making The Allure Group the first nursing facility in Manhattan or Brooklyn to fully adopt this breakthrough technology. The Bedford Center launch went great and we’re installing at King David Center as we speak. Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming rollout.

This innovative system allows the Allure team to track the vital signs of patients through sensors placed under pillows or cushions.

The Allure Group staffers can use that information to nip any potential problems in the bud. It has been discovered, for instance, that the implementation of the EarlySense system has led to a 45-percent reduction in falls, a 60-percent reduction in bed sores, and an 80-percent reduction in code-blue events.

PointClickCare EHR Live at Hamilton Center

On behalf of the Allure Team, we congratulate the Hamilton Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, for successfully migrating their EHR system from Visual to PointClickCare.

PointClickCare is the industry leader in Cloud based EHR systems, allowing us to provide the highest quality of care, improve our business performance, and simplify the complex processes related to regulatory compliance. This new system will allow Allure to continue to implement new Healthcare Technologies that easily tie into the PointClickCare System. Stay tuned for many future enhancements that will make your day to day workflow easier and more reliable.

Congratulations to the entire project team and thank you all for your hard work!!!!

The Rapid Growth of EMR in Healthcare

If in the past a physician was inclined to grab a pen, he now grabs a mouse. If he once scrawled a patient’s particulars on a notepad (often leading the latter to wonder just how anyone can possibly read such penmanship), he now enters the information into a computer.

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) have gone, in short order, from novelty to necessity. Propelled in no small part by federal edict, they are now as common as a stethoscope, the hope being that their use will lead in time to better, less expensive care.

An EMR also allows medical professionals to monitor a patient’s progress and share that information with others as the situation demands — and allows the patient easy access, him- or herself, via computer, smartphone or tablet. An EMR shows when a patient is due for an examination or screening. It can help identify potential red flags.

In other words, it simplifies the entire process. No longer is it a matter of rooting through a bulging envelope and finding the proper paperwork. Now every aspect of a patient’s medical history is spelled out for doctors and nurses, and just a mouse click or two away. Important information is far less likely to fall through the cracks, and the possibility of errors in caregiving is minimized.

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Allure Group November 27, 2017

November Newsletter From The Allure Group

We hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Since the holiday with it’s delicious food has passed we suggest you digest these fun facts about Thanksgiving:

Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird, not the eagle.
The National Turkey Foundation estimated that 88 percent of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and that 46 million turkeys are consumed.
Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for plumbers, according to Roto-Rooter.

In the spirit of the season, The Allure Group’s Harlem Center worked with the Salvation Army to sponsor a Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 23. A huge thank you to everyone who participated! It was a delicious meal spent in good company.

(Photographed above: Residents; Rudolph Slade, Israel Santiago and Alfredo Brandbelt. Recreation staff Elizabeth Grunitzky, & Recreation Director Aisha Kingsberry. Head of Salvation Army Harlem Lieutenant Chaka Watch, Admissions Director Felicia Legier, Regional Marketing Manager Caron Williams and CMO Matt Fenley.)

The Allure Group is also joining with the Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn to raise money to buy holiday presents for children in need. Their overall fundraising goal is $40,000 and The Allure Group plans to contribute a large amount in support of the cause.

congrats to bedford centers Esther Maleh on her engagement!

Our Dietician at Bedford Center, Esther Maleh, got engaged at our Bedford Center facility over the weekend. Her fiancé, Louis Krieger, surprised her at the facility and popped the question on site! A huge congrats to Esther and her new fiancé!!

Melissa Powell Interviewed on 77WABC’S “Mind Your Business”

‘Mind Your Business’ airs every Sunday and it is about leaders in healthcare and how they got into their position. Guests share personal stories about how and what to do to succeed in their industry and the business they are in. Melissa’s interview aired Sunday November 26th and is now available via podcast on iTunes! You should also keep an eye out in the “Featured Guest” section on https://www.mybradio.com/

An Allure-ing taste

A tasting of the fall/winter menu was held in the Harlem Center on Oct. 27. Thank you to Pinnacle Dietary for coming to show our Residents & Staff the upcoming fall/winter menu in conjunction with Allure Breast Cancer Awareness. Randy, Deborah, & the Dietary Staff did an amazing job! It was a well planned and well executed event. We are looking forward to launching these new menu items across all of our centers!

Thank You To Our Veterans

From all of us at The Allure Group, we wanted to reach out and say thank you to all of our veterans! We are honored to have you across our various centers. Thanks for everything that you’ve done for us!

Service + Emotional Support Animals

Service and emotional support animals are becoming more of a common sight at Allure’s facilities, helping residents go about their days.

Service animals are defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act as dogs individually trained to do work or perform tasks for someone with a disability. An emotional support animal (typically a dog or cat) is an animal that provides comfort and support in the form of companionship for an individual suffering from depression, anxiety or some related condition.

There are 387,000 service dogs in the United States, according to Service Dog Central. It is much more difficult to ascertain how many emotional support animals there might be, but what is known is that these animals have great value to those in need.

How High-Tech Rehab Products Assist the Elderly

The world of robotics is permeating many areas of modern life. Now, the healthcare industry is adopting robotic systems to manage several processes more efficiently. Machines can now serve as hospital helpers to do everything from moving medical waste to delivering meals. We’re starting to see several more healthcare applications of robotics in the healthcare industry which can help older patients at rehabilitation centers. In fact, the latest research shows the global rehabilitation robots market is expected to grow at a steady rate of 25% through 2020.

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